DARTMOUTH, Mass. – Led by a four-goal performance from
Audrey Molin, Eastern Connecticut field hockey (9-8, 4-3 Little East) earned home game in the first round of the LEC Tournament with a 6-2 win over UMass Dartmouth (3-16, 2-5 Little East) on Saturday (Oct. 31).
Molin became the first Warrior to reach 20 goals in a season with the four-goal performance and has now scored three goals in three different games this year. The junior also added an assist to score nine points on the day. Molin's 42 points are now the most in a single season by a Warrior.
The Warriors exploded for four goals in the second quarter to take control of the game after a scoreless first period.
Just over two minutes into the second quarter, Molin got on the board for the first time. Molin stole the ball just past midfield from a Corsair defender and raced downfield before firing a shot past the goalie to make it 1-0.
Three minutes later, the Warriors brought the ball into the offensive zone and tried to get the ball on net a couple of times.
Sophie Ash controlled the ball, sent it in front of the net, and Molin put it home for her second of the game.
Forty-five seconds later, Eastern picked up a penalty corner and took advantage.
Katie Harrington sent the ball into play.
Grace Barlage took the ball up top, made a move around a defender a fired a shot from straight on that found its way past the defense for the third goal of the game.
With just over a minute to go in the first half, Eastern again maintained possession in the attacking zone. The ball was sent into the attacking circle to Molin who turned and fired a shot into the net for the first-half hat trick.
Two minutes into the second half, it was another penalty corner that lead to Eastern's fifth goal of the game. After Barlage's shot was stopped the ball found the stick of Ash. Ash sent it back on net and Molin got a deflection on it to send it over the goalie's shoulder, putting the Warriors up 5-0.
UMass Dartmouth scored halfway through the third but the Warriors responded to start the fourth. A scramble at the top of the attacking circle for Eastern led to Molin sending the ball toward the net.
Mackenzie Ray found the bouncing ball and finished off the goal to make it 6-1.
UP NEXT
With the win, Eastern will host VTSU Castleton in the first round of the LEC Field Hockey Tournament on Tuesday (Nov. 3) at 5 p.m.
